高原丝路:吐蕃“重汉缯”之俗与丝绸使用

The Silk Road on Plateau:The Custom of "Cherishing Han Zeng" and Usage of Silk

历史上,在丝绸由中原地区向西传播过程中,也传入了青藏高原地区。公元7-9世纪唐地丝绸大量输入吐蕃,受到吐蕃贵族及上层人士的喜好与珍视,形成"重汉缯"的社会风气。但吐蕃气候寒冷,并不适合穿着丝绸,吐蕃贵族除用作头巾和衣饰以体现身份与等级外,一般不直接穿着丝绸。因实用空间受限,丝绸趋向了文化象征意义的发展路径。吐蕃中后期丝绸与佛教信仰日渐结合,成为体现佛、法、僧之崇高地位和表达敬仰的特殊礼仪品,也被用作祭祀神灵之物。此外,还作为酬金、借贷和利息等进入交换领域。吐蕃丝绸使用的象征意义远大于实用价值,这也奠定了后来藏地丝绸使用的基本路径。

In history,silk was once introduced to Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during its spread from Central Plains to western regions.From the 7th to 9th century,silk from Tang region was taken into Tubo Empire in a great amount,and admired by Tubo aristocracies and nobilities.And the custom of 'cherishing Han zeng' was gradually formed in Tubo at that time.However,the cold climate in Tubo was not suitable for people to wear silk directly.As a result,the Tubo noblemen used silk only for turban or clothes decoration to express their status and class.Limited in utilitarian field,the usage of silk was attached to a cultural symbolic meaning.The middle-and-late Tubo Empire witnessed the introduction of silk into Buddhism belief.With a 'spiritual' quality,silk was regarded as a special ritual product to display the noble status of Buddha,Dharma and Sangha,and to show respect to the gods.Additionally,silk acted as payment,loan and interest in the market exchange.In Tubo,people used silk rather symbolically than practically,which laid the foundation of the path of silk usage in Tibetan areas.